Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

9/5/2012

"SAD"

I have just returned from having my head 'shrunk' which I do twice a month whether I need it or not.  My doctor has loaned me a "SAD" full spectrum light box to use each day for 30 minutes to see if extra bright light makes any difference in my depression.

I set the box up on my side table near my chair where I do just about everything from reading and knitting to coloring.  I did some catalog reading (favorite pastime) and knitting under the watchful eye of the box.  It's too soon to tell, obviously, if I will become giddy with joy after using it.  I can tell you this the sucker is bright and after you turn it off, your eyes need a few minutes to adjust to the 'dark'.

This loaner box is large and heavy; but, the doctor says they now make lights that are much more compact and easy to transport.  Some patients apparently take them to work every day - the "glow" must be impressive.

So with some medication adjustments today and my new best friend, wish me luck as I continue to travel down this seemingly never ending road of depression.  I'm being honest about this because I believe mental health conditions, of all kinds, should be talked about openly and without the stigma associated with them.

Here's to many days of sunshine for me!

P

Unraveling

9/5/2012

Unraveling

Have you ever pulled, rather than cut, a string from a sweater and ended up with a sleeve in your hand?  

Well, that's kind of what's happening with the fireplace.  Our den is cold - all winter long - the fireplace is drafty and this year I wanted to replace it with a gas log insert. Easy enough?  Right?  Absolutely.  You remove the existing glass door screens, have the chimney swept for the last time and pay for the gas logs.  Very doable.

But we are world famous for the cloud that hangs over the top of our heads.  Don't know why, just wish it would move on.  Bought the gas logs and are on the installation wait list which shouldn't be too long, because really who thinks about fires in the middle of summer?  Second, removed the glass doors and have put them out on Craigslist to hopefully sell.

The chimney sweep was out yesterday and he used the same brushes and tools that they used in Mary Poppins - sadly though there was no dancing on the roof.  When he started his cleaning he said something along the lines of, "it's a good thing you're putting in gas."  Okay that didn't sound good, maybe some of our bricks inside the fireplace need repointing (I think that's what they call it).

Then he got on the roof.  Here's where a simple job began to unravel and become a TAD more expensive than was originally expected.  He tells us that the first 13-15 courses (rows) of brick on the top of the chimney should be replaced.  Apparently, those bricks m-o-v-e!  I can't explain it in technical terms, just that his fear was that the top part of the chimney MIGHT come tumbling down and when he touched them they had a lot of "give".  It's a good thing that the big bad wolf doesn't know that he could probably huff and puff those bricks down.  His suggestion, which we eventually took, was to replace the top part of the chimney BEFORE the gas log insert and chimney sleeves were installed.  

Buying the gas log inserts was one thing, but replacing part of the chimney wasn't on the agenda or in the budget.  Still, the thought that during a storm the bricks could come down and possibly hurt someone or something wasn't acceptable either.

Today, the masons are coming out to put up the scaffolding and start taking the chimney down and then rebuild it.  It is a necessary expense - but, if I hadn't wanted the gas log insert in the first place, Jeff and I would never have known or even suspected that the chimney was damaged.  A good thing?  Absolutely.  We're just going to feel the hit in the old checkbook after today!

Once the bricks have been replaced - the wolf can come back anytime and we'll be safe and snug inside.

Enjoy your Wednesday - it's my last day at home - return to work tomorrow so I'll try and enjoy myself as much as possible today.

P

Ever Wonder....

9/4/2012

Ever Wonder....

Why we fly?  Without words, I'm going to show you two reasons why.  Beautiful. 

Careers

9/4/2012

Careers

I type for a living and have since 1968 - you do the math - that's a long time.  Still love typing and always will, just don't get enough chances to do so anymore.  Gone are the days of hours and hours of straight typing.  Now we revise, correct, format and print a document that somebody else has screwed up and can't figure out how to fix their mistakes.

But typing wasn't always my career goal.  In 1967 I received a scholarship to Illinois State University and I was prepared to come out the other side 4 years later as a business education teacher.  Remember those?  They taught typing, shorthand, office machines and skills, stuff like that.

I wanted to teach and had envisions of my classes being highly sought after and fun.  And then I threw away my scholarship because I didn't want my parents to have to pay a lot of money for my education.  Looking back and by today's standards it probably wasn't much.   I went to a junior college instead and did well in everything except Economics.  I didn't understand it then and I don't understand it now.  The professor and I had an agreement - he wouldn't ask me any questions - and I wouldn't answer any.  Worked out well and I eked out a passable, but barely, grade.  Skill classes were where I really shined.  I could take shorthand at 100 wpm and could type that fast as well.  I was sure I was on the right path.

Let's just say that after one year in college, I was at the juncture of two roads and I selected the wrong one.  Didn't think so at the time - but this many years later - it was.  Altered my life forever and dashed my dreams of ever standing up in front of a classroom telling them where the "a" and "s" keys are on a typewriter (computer).

Could I have gone back?  Sure but I wasn't that ambitious. I was working full-time and raising 3 boys.  Before moving east Jeff was a road warrior and was gone more than he was home and I had my hands full. There was no time in my life to further my education.  

Jeff and I did take a few classes at the local junior college to keep his GI Bill money coming in.  One of the classes he was required to take was Philosophy taught by an old, bitter spinster woman.  There are no other words fit to describe her.  In class I diligently took notes and when it came to take tests I would hear this nagging whisper in my ear "write bigger"!

The final exam was to take two philosophers and compare them for similarities and differences.  I wrote NOT one but TWO final exams.  I received an A on both papers but on my submission the teacher wrote "It didn't behoove you to copy off of Mr. Bassett's paper."  That was the LAST class we ever took together!

While I never formally taught and never will, I am the person my coworkers seek out when they have a document or spreadsheet that is giving them trouble. I have become pretty adapt at headers, footers and section breaks.  I guess in a small way I'm a teacher.

Have a great day.

P

Children Are.....

9/3/2012

Children are a gift  A gift that not everybody receives.  A gift that not everybody appreciates.  A gift that is special.  A gift that is unique each and every time a newborn baby is born.  Children are a gift that will test your patience a hundred times over before he/she reaches adulthood.  Children are innocent, they love unconditionally, they give good hugs and kisses though sometimes a bit sticky.   Is it worth the trip?  You bet.

A quote I read recently said that there are not 7 wonders of the world - there are 7 million wonders through the eyes of a child!  How very true.  Just take a small child on a walk and be patient because they really do stop and smell the roses. And pull weeds, pick up garbage and throw rocks.  They will also hold your hand secure in their little bodies and hearts that you, the adult, are going to take care of them, try to prevent them from falling and comfort them if they do.

In a perfect world you would take your child, put them in a bubble so that nobody and nothing could ever harm them.  Unfortunately, the world isn't perfect and we can't protect our children against everything and everyone.  Part of the growing up process (and you know this) is to scrap a knee, not make the team, have the perfect guy/gal break your heart and all of the other things we go through until we become adults.

Once we are adults, buddy we are on our own - unless - you are going through live with a partner, a soul mate, a significant other, a best friend.  If you are then when your world is tumbling down around you, your partner will pick you up and carry you to safety.  I know this is true because my partner, my best friend, has had to carry me more times in 38 years than I've had to carry him.

So not just for today; but for always remember the children.  Remember how special they truly are and how blessed our lives are for having them (even when they try our patience and you know they will). Appreciate their innocence - because it won't last.  Love their spirit, their growing independence, their joy and their love.

If you're lucky enough to have a child around you today, how wonderful for you.  Give them a hug and tell them how special they are.

P

Still Here

9/3/2012

Hey readers, I'm not gone gone - just resting I guess.  I had the most incredibly relaxing Saturday and Sunday I've had in years and today was just as good.

Jeff emptied out the fireplace with our old grate and blower (messy, messy) and we went down to the fireplace store and paid for our new gaslog insert.  The insert is in stock so we will just have to wait a few weeks for the install - but it will be ready long before cold weather sets in.  The fireplace minus the glass doors looks pretty naked right now.  Chimney sweep tomorrow and I'm looking forward to watching him work - I bet he's not going to dance on the rooftop though!

While I may not typing madly away at the computer right now - I am reading which is something I haven't done for a long time.  Guess I have found some page turners and once I get started, it's hard to stop.

I have Tuesday and Wednesday off from work so my quiet respite will continue a bit longer.  

Hope you enjoyed your day as much as I did mine.

P

Arts and Crafts

9/1/2012

Arts and Crafts

For those of you who may read my scribblings early in the morning with coffee - I apologize.  I have the next 5 days off so guess who's not getting up at 5:00 AM - yep that would be me.

Jeff is in Georgia for the weekend so today I had a leisurely ladies day.  After getting all sparkly at the salon, I ran some quick errands and then drove over to Rio (shopping center for you out-of-towners) determined to do arts and crafts at a local studio.  First challenge was parking in a parking garage - I get the worst case of claustrophobia when I drive into a garage.  I'm sure there are mere inches between the top of my car and an insurance claim.  

Went into the wrong parking garage initially and then got all turned around and went the wrong way TWICE before finally exiting the building.  Whew.  I nearly gave up but if you allow fear to keep you from doing things then eventually you can do nothing.  I know all about this.

Second garage found a parking spot and went downstairs to brave the world of arts and crafts - neither of which are my speciality.   The store was packed with moms, dads and "stickies" (as my boss calls them).  Initial thought was to just turn around and exit - but I stood my ground.  They introduced me slowly to elementary glass fusing which really isn't very difficult.  You start with a base (mine is dark green) and then you set different shaped and colored pieces of glass on top.  If you want to cut a piece of glass you must first score it and then use some manly looking tool to snap it off.  Thanks to a combination of medicine I tend to shake so the scoring process was very hard for me.  I did finally manage to cut a few pieces and they even have a tool that helps make curves - and I found that tool a bit easier to use.

Once you arrange your little pieces of glass all over the base you add just a dot of glue to the underside to hold them in place while they go into the kiln.  I used bright orange, yellow, red and white pieces and then at the end you can add (and I did) some glittery beads (I chose amber).  I asked them to make the base tip up a bit at the ends and I have no idea how that's done.  I'm anxious to pick up my piece next week to see how I really did - bits and pieces of glass on top of glass it doesn't look like much.

The glass project didn't take a lot of time and since Christmas is just around the corner (as far as I'm concerned) I decided to paint a small bowl as a possible gift.  The employees gave me two different sized circles so when I finished putting on 3 coats of the background color I then dipped the circles in two different colored paints and marked the dish.  Ended up looking pretty good and I'm sure once it's fired and bright and shiny will be very nice.

If I'm looking for quiet time to paint or fuss with glass perhaps I should try coming at a different time, like after work when children are doing homework or playing soccer!

Even after 2 projects I didn't feel that I had appropriately used up my free day so I headed for Kohl's and of course was able to find clothes and a few that were actually on sale!

I am planning a double feature movie for this evening.  Diet coke is chilled and the popcorn bowl is ready to receive.  I'm going to start off with the lastest Twilight movie which I know Jeff has no interest in and follow it up with a true story about a basketball team coached by nuns.  Should be fun.

Hope you're enjoying your Saturday as much as I am mine.

P